Engine starter



Wad 655 Dec. 23, 1930. R. P. LANSING 1,786,118

ENGINE STARTER Filed Feb. 19, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Patented Dec. 23, 1930- v uNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE nAYmo n r. LANsINe, or MONTCLAIB, Nnw messy, ASSIGNOB- TO ECLIPSE MACHINE COMPANY,-OE ELMIBA, NEW 'YORK, A COBPOBATION OF NEW YORK ENGINE s'nan'rnn a lication mammar 19, 1926. Serial No. 89,454.

My invention relates to engine starting apparatus for the starting of engines such as internal combustion engines and the object thereof is to provide a simple and eflicient combined switch and operating means for the apparatus, the switch being arranged to I control the circuit of the power means or electric motor of the apparatus and the opcrating means being employed to actuate the trated on .a larger scale and in diagrammatic relationship with respect to the apparatus inasmuch as such combined structure isnot in the present instance located on the apparatus but at a distance therefrom and within easy reachof the operator; Fig. 2 is a-sectional elevation. of my starting apparatus taken on the irregular section line'2-2 of Fig. 3; Fig.3 a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and Figs. 4 and 5 views of difierent positions of the combined switch and operating means.

For the purpose .of a clear and definite description of my invention I have shown a par ticular construction of starting apparatus but it will be understood that my invention is not limited to such specific structure and may be embodied in structures of different character without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and claims.

As herein shown my starting apparatus comprises a transmission or drive having an element hereinafter designated a driving member adapted. to engage a member of the engine to be started, reduction means such as gearing, and inertia means such as a fly-.

wheel, and means for actuating such drive, gearing and flywheel. In the present instance I have shown two separate actuating means, to-wit power means such as an elec tric motor and manual means including a cranking shaft which two means may be opera-ted separately or conjointly as desired but it will be understood that said manual means ,yielding pressure in suitable manner as is not concerned with my present invention means of a coil spring 22 which bears at its and may therefore be dispensed with and removed from the apparatus, if desired, although I prefer the complete apparatus as herein illustrated, that is with both the power means and the manual means employed.

First describing the transmission or drive, the same is located within a mainv casing 1 which is suitably supported as by being detachably connected with the crankcase 2 of the engine as by means of bolts 3, a small portion of which crankcase is illustrated. lVithin the casing there rotates a driving barrel 4 and a nut'5 concentrically arranged therewithin and providing a considerably annular space between them to receive a yieldform of a friction clutch 6. This clutch is splined respectively to the interior of the barrel and to a right-hand extension (Fig. 2 of the nut. The proper pressure for the disks is provided by a series of springs 7 located in such space and such pressure is regulated by the adjustable ring S screwing in the interior of the barrel. The thrust of these springs is against the fiange9 of the nut 5 and tends to force such nut inwardly and consequently. force the clutch disks into frictional contact. a

The nut 5 is provided with internal long lead threads 12 on which is threaded a screw shaft 13 constituting the. main portion of the driving member whose other principal portion is a clutch member 14 adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started, such as the correspondingclutch member 15 forming a partof or secured to a rotatable part of the engine such as the crank shaft 16 thereof. The element 1 1 is in the form of a disk having clutch jaws 17 adapted to engage the complementary clutch jaws 18 on the engine member and provided with a hub or sleeve portion 19 which is splined tothe outer end of the screw shaft by means of the splines 20, whereby element 14 and screw shaft 13 have a relative longitudinal movement of limited degree independent of each other. The element 14 is held in outward position with a able driving connection which is here in the outer end against the bottom of sleeve 19 and at its inner end against the bottom of a socket formed in the LOHtBI' end of the screw shaft. The outward movement of element 14 is limited by the head or nut 21 on the-outer or left-hand end of an operating rod 23 which passes centrally through the driving member parts and centrally through the reduction gearing, hereinafter described.

Next referring to the reduction means, the same is in the form of gearing which is contained within the main casing l by which such gearing is supported and in which it has its bearings. A stationary internal gear 24 is s ecured to casing 1 in suitable manner as by means of screws 25 and with-the same there meshes a series of three planetary gears 31, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 2 which are journaled between the end plate 4" of the barrel 4 and a plate 26 parallel therewith.

The end plate 4 has a hub 27 extending laterally to the right in Fig. 2 and same there is loosely mounted the hub 28 of an internal gear 29 This reduction gearing is operatively connected respectively with the manual means and with the power means in the following manner:

Referring to the manual means the same comprises a cranking, shaft 30 entering through one side of the casing 1 and having suitable bearings 31 and 32 therein. vThis shaft is provided with suitable means such as the pins 33 for engagement with an ordinary hand crank. At its inner end the cranking shaft is provided with a bevel pinion 34 secured thereto and meshing with a corresponding bevel pinion 35 which is secured to the hub 27 of the barrel 4.

Next referring to the power means or electric motor and its operating connections and also referring to the inertia means the electric motor 36 is removably secured by means of the screws 37 to a cover plate 1 which encloses the inertia means or flywheel 38 and also the bearing extensions of the casing 1. The armature shaft 39 of the motor is operatively connected with the flywheel and consequently to the reduction gearing in such manner that the torque of the motor is transmitted in one direction only, that is from the motor to the flywheel and the gearing. To this end the armature shaft is provided with a screw threaded portion 40 on which is threaded a shell 41 whose marginal flange portion is adapted to be clamped in automatic manner against the plate 42 secured to the web of the flywheel 38. This flywheel is splined to a shaft 43 and also keyed thereto by key 44. This shaft 43 also providesa bearing for the outer end of the armature shaft and for this purpose such shaft 43 has a socket at one end to receive the armature shaft. The shaft 43 is provided at one end with a pinion 45 which meshes with the gear teeth 46 of a bell shaped gear 47. whose central shaft 48 is mounted within on the the bearing 49 of the casing 1. This gear 47 is provided at one end with a pinion 50 which meshes with the internal gear 29.

Referring to the single or combined means for controlling the motor switch and the driving member of the apparatus, the same. cooperates with the'rod 2'3 and with a suitable motor switch 51 having the usual connections with the electric motor. The rod 23 is pivot ally connected to a crank arm 52 which is secured to a. rock shaft 53 provided with a bearing 54 extending into the casing 1. At its outer end exterior of such casing, this shaft 53 has a crank arm 55 secured thereto and pivotally connected to an operating rod 56 which. in turn is operatively connected,

with a. combined or single'means referred to. Such single means is preferably contained within a casing formed of a basis plate 57 secured to any suitablesupport such as 58 and an enclosing shell 59 secured to the plate 57. In this casing, the switch 51 is mounted and provided with a switch button 60 A hand operated plunger 61 is mounted in the plate 57 and in line with the button 6t). so as to. actuate the latter when forced inwardly by the operate-n. This plunger has a pin 62 which cooperates with a slot in a lever 63 pivoted at 64 upon the plate 57' and pivotally connected with the outer end of the rod 56. The slot in lever 63 is reversed L-shaped comprising the longitudinal portion 65 and the transverse portion 66. This lever 63 is held in normal position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a coil spring 67 attached to the outer end of lever 63 and to a fixed retainer 68 respectively.

Describing a cycle ofoperation and beginning with the parts in the normal position shown in Fig. 2 and first describing such operation when the electric motor is employed as the actuating means for the flywheel and the drive, the operator will first thrust the plunger 61 inwardly from the position shown in Fig. l to that of Fig. 4 whereupon the switch 51 is operated and the motor is energized. Thereupon the clamping member 41 will be automatically advanced into clamping position with respect to flywheel plate 42 and rapid driving relationship thereby established between the motor and the flywheel 38. The fi 'wheel is thereupon rotated and likewise the torque is transmitted to the shaft 43, pinion 45, gear 47 and pinion 50 to the reduction gearing, and thence to the barrel 4 and through the clutch 6 to the nut 5 and screw shaft 13. However, this screw shaft will be merely rotated and will not be advanced as its rotation is comparatively slow because of the reduction gearing. WVhen the rotation of the flywheel has reached the predetermined degree, the operator will draw the plunger 61 outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 5 whereupon the switch 51 will be permitted to open and the lever 63 which had heretofore remained in its nor- 17 and 18 into engagement.

I and the entire barrel i of the drive.

mal position notwithstanding the movement of the plunger 61 inwardly, at which time the pin 62 merely'slid freely along the slot 66, will be actuated or locked to the position shown in Fig. 5 against the tension of the spring 67. As a result, the rod 56 will be shifted longitudinally and through the operating connections above described the rod 23 will be shifted longitudinally to the left in Fig. 2. By reason'of such pressure of this rod and automatic action between the screw threads, the screw shaft 13 will be advanced to the left, thereby bringing the clutch jaws lhe engine member will thereby be rotated and theengine will be cranked. When the engine operates under its own power, the driving member will be automatically disengaged through the screw action between the screw shaft 13 and the nut 5.

Next describing a cycle of operation when the manual means is the source of power, when the shaft 30 is rotated by an ordinary hand crank, the bevel gear 34 will be rotated and thereby the bevel gear 35 and the hub 27 At the same time, the planetary gears will cause rotation of the internal gear 29 which in turn will rotate the transmission gearing composed of pinion 50, gear 47, pinion 45, and shaft 43, with the result that the flywheel 38 will be rapidly rotated. At this time, the electric motor is disconnected as the plunger 61 is in the normal position shown in Fig. 1. When the desired or predetermined R. P. M. of the flywheel is reached, the operation will draw the plunger 61 outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 5 whereupon the rod will be operated in the manner and with the result hereinbefore explained in the case of the use of the electric motor as the source of power. In this operation, the plunger 61, of course, is not shifted inwardly but only outwardly, the plunger is restored to normal position after being drawn outwardly by means of the spring 67.

'1 claim:

.1. An enginestarter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to be moved to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an inertia member operatively connected to said drive, an electric motor adapted to actuate said inertia member, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, and combined means for controlling the switch and for so movingthe driving member.

2. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to be moved to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an inertia member operatively connected to said drive, an elec-' tric motor adapted to actuate said inertia member, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, and a single manually operated means for controlling the switch and for so moving the driving member.

3. An enginestarter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to be moved to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, -and a single means constructed and arranged to first operate the switch to energize the motor and thereafter to cause the driving member to engage the engine member, the motor being automaticall deenergized when the latter operation ta es place. v

t. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to be moved to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor and a single means constructed and arranged to first operate the switch to energize the motor and thereafter to cause the driving member to engage the engine member and to simultaneously operate the switch to de-energize the motor.

5. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, and combined means for, controlling the switch and the driving member comprising a plunger cooperating with the switch and a lever controlled thereby and operatively connected with the driving member, said plunger and lever being also adapted for movement relative to one another.

6. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be'started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, and combined means for controlling the switch and the driving member comprising a plunger cooperating with the switch and a lever controlled thereby and operatively connected with the driving member, said plunger being mounted for manual reciprocation and adapted when moved in one direction to close the switch and when moved in the opposite direction to 0p erate the lever and to move the driving memger into/engagement with the engine mem- 7. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, anelectric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, and combined means for controlling the switch and the driving member comprising a plunger cooperating with the switch and a lever controlled thereplunger,

l0 tuate said drive,

switch for the motor,and combined means for controlling the switch and the driving member comprising a plunger.cooperating with'the switch and a lever controlled thereby and operatively connected with the drivmg member, said plunger having a pin and slot connection with the lever whereby reciprocation of the plunger in one direction operates only the' switch and in the opposite direction operates the lever and driving memwith the switch an oted at one end her.

9. An engine starter apparatus including a dr1ve having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor adapted to ac tuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, and combined means for controlling the switch and the driving member comprisin a plunger cooperating a lever controlled thereby and operatively connected with the driving member, said plunger having a pin intermediate its length and said lever being pivand extending at right angles across the plane of the plunger and having longitudinal and transverse slots receivng said pin. i

10. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, and combined means for controlling the switch and the driving member comprising a plunger cooperating with the switch and a lever controlled thereby and operatively connected with the drivmg mem er, said plunger having a pin and slot connection with the lever whereby reciprocation of the plunger in one direction operates only the switch and in the opposite direction operates the lever and driving member, and a'spring holding the lever in normal position and restoring it and the plunger to normal position after reciprocaiion of the plunger in the last named direcion.

ll. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a. driving me'mber adapted to 'engage and crank a member of the engine'to be started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, a longitudinally movable rod operatively connected with the driving member and adapted for longitudinal movement relative thereto, and combined means for controlling the switch and reciprocating the rod.

12. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an. electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, a longitudinally movable rod operatively connected with and extending centrally through the driving member, and combined means for controlhng the switch and reciprocating the rod, said rod also being adapted for longitudinal mqvement relative to said driving member.

13. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and Switch for the motor, a longitudinally movable rod operatively connected with the driving member and adapted for longitudinal movement relative thereto, a second longitudinally movable rod operatively connected with the first rod, and combined means for controlling the switch and operatively connected with the second rod to reciprocate it.

14. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, and combined means for controlling the switch and the driving member comprising a plunger cooperating with the switch and a lever controlled thereby and operatively connected with the driving memher, said plunger having a pin and slot connection with the lever whereby reciprocation of the plunger in one direction operates only the switch and in the opposite direction operates the lever and driving member, and a spring holding the lever in normal position and restoring it and the plunger to normal position after'reciprocation of the plun 'er in the last named direction, and a sto or determining such normal position 0 the lever.

15. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to be moved to engage and crank amember of the engine to be started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, combined means for controlling the switch and for movin the driving member into engagement with t e engine member, said last named means being adapted to control the switch independently of any movement of the driving member, and resilient means yieldingly opposing the movement of said combined means for causing saidmovement of the driving member. H I p 16. An engine 'starte nicluding driving means adapted to be moved to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor for actuatin said driving means, 'a circuit for energizing said motor,

said circuit having a switch therein, a member movable to operate said switch, a second member movable by said switch operating member to cause said driving means to rotatively engage said engine member, means for effecting the switch operating movement independently of the movement of the second member, and means yieldingly opposing the fmovement of the switch operating member.

17. An engine starter apparatus including a drive having a driving member adapted to be moved to engage and crank a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor adapted to actuate said drive, an electrical circuit and switch for the motor, and a member movable in one direction to operate the switch to energize saidmotor and movable in the opposite direction to cause said driving member to engage the engine member, the motor being automatically de-energized when the latter takes place.

In testimony whereof," l have subscribed my name.

RAYMOND P. LANSING. 

